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Fission track thermochronology evidence for multiple periods of mineralization in the Wulonggou Gold deposits, eastern Kunlun Mountains, Qinghai Province

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Abstract

It is a puzzle to determine metallogenetic ages in the world. This article uses zircon fission track (FT) dating to probe the mineralizing epochs of Wulonggou (五龙沟) gold ore deposits in eastern Kunlun (昆仑) Mountains. Total of six zircon FT ages have been obtained and can be divided into groups of 235–216 and 197–181 Ma, as well as 162 and 124 Ma, revealing multiple epochs of metallogenetic processes took place in Wulonggou area, mainly first two age groups. The mineralizing ages become lower from northeast Yanjingou (岩金沟) to southwest Hongqigou (红旗沟). The second epoch of 197–181 Ma is first achieved by this work. It is shown that the FT ages consist with other isotopic data and reflect different regional thermotectonic events.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing, 100083, China

    Wanming Yuan  (袁万明), Xuanxue Mo  (莫宣学), Xiaoning Chen  (陈小宁), Hongwei Duan  (段宏伟), Xi Li  (李希) & Nana Hao  (郝娜娜)

  2. No. 3 Exploration Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources of Qinghai Province, Xining, 810000, China

    Aikui Zhang  (张爱奎)

  3. Exploration and Production Research Institute, China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, Beijing, 100083, China

    Xianmei Wang  (王先美)

Authors
  1. Wanming Yuan  (袁万明)
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  2. Xuanxue Mo  (莫宣学)
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  3. Aikui Zhang  (张爱奎)
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  4. Xiaoning Chen  (陈小宁)
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  5. Hongwei Duan  (段宏伟)
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  6. Xi Li  (李希)
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  7. Nana Hao  (郝娜娜)
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  8. Xianmei Wang  (王先美)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wanming Yuan  (袁万明).

Additional information

This study was supported by the China Geological Survey (No. 2011-03-04-06), Found Project of the Geology & Mineral Exploration Development Authority of Qinghai Province, and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41172088, 40872141 and 41072160).

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Yuan, W., Mo, X., Zhang, A. et al. Fission track thermochronology evidence for multiple periods of mineralization in the Wulonggou Gold deposits, eastern Kunlun Mountains, Qinghai Province. J. Earth Sci. 24, 471–478 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-013-0362-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12583-013-0362-x

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